Vernard Hines

Vernard T. Hines served over 20 years, 7 months, and 4 days in the U.S. Army, retiring with the rank of Sergeant First Class. His journey through the military brought him face-to-face with numerous challenges, including the shadows of PTSD. Yet, amidst the darkness, Vernard found a beacon of light in humor and speaking. This saving grace not only helped him combat his own thoughts of despair but also ignited a mission to destigmatize the act of seeking help.

Hailing from Norfolk, VA, he faced the challenges of PTSD upon retiring, but he's now on a mission to destigmatize seeking help for mental health through humor. "The Laugh Therapist" was born from his own experiences and therapy discussions during deployments in Iraq. He's a two-time combat tour veteran, having served in Iraq in 2003 and 2005. As a comedian of over10 years, Vernard has literally performed and has spoken all across the United States. He became a certified peer recovery specialist with the state of Virginia with a goal to free people from the Stigma of seeking mental health help.

Vernard joined the USAA campaign for "We Face the Fight a campaign Against Veteran Suicide," working to eliminate the stigma surrounding suicide in the military community by fostering open conversations and offering hope and support. Vernard launched a podcast called "P.T.S.D. Processing Traumatic Situations Differently," where guests share their journeys in processing trauma. He believes that laughter helps break the tension of talking about a serious matter like mental health.

He knows laughter is a divine gift and encourages everyone to keep laughing and keeping their hope in God, no matter the challenges they face.